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East of England · England

Colchester digital postcards that beat a photo of the view

The Romans made Colchester their first capital in Britain, Boudica burned it down, and it's been bouncing back ever since. Now there's a castle museum, a giant water tower called Jumbo and a very popular zoo.

A photo of Colchester Castle says “I was here”. A game says “I was here, I thought of you, and I made you this”. Choose any game style and look, type “Colchester” as where it’s from, and send the link.

Make a Colchester postcard See 3 ideas

Who sends a postcard from Colchester?

Students at the University of Essex

Lakes, ducks and a lot of essays. Send home a game starring you to show you're settling in.

Army families at the garrison

Colchester is a big garrison town. Send loved ones a postcard game, wherever in the world they happen to be posted.

Families at Colchester Zoo

Elephants, penguins and a gift shop you can't escape. Let the kids send their own game to the grandparents.

3 ideas for a Colchester postcard game

Idea 1

Essex Graduate

Exam papers, diplomas and coffee make a platformer feel like the last mad dash of a degree.

Put this in

“Two thousand years of history and I still left my essay till the last minute.”

Idea 2

Two Thousand Years Young

A climber with milestones suits a birthday in a town that claims to be Britain's oldest recorded town, with cake at the top.

Put this in

“I'm not old. Colchester is old. I'm just experienced.”

Idea 3

New Year in the Old Town

Champagne and clock pieces suit a fresh start in a town that has been starting over since Roman times.

Put this in

“New year, same Roman walls, slightly worse hangover.”

What to write on a Colchester postcard

  • Name-drop a landmark. “Wish you were here at Jumbo, the Victorian water tower” works because it’s specific.
  • Mention what Colchester is known for: its claim to be Britain's oldest recorded town, or Colchester oysters. One specific detail beats “lovely views” every time.
  • Keep the ending message short: one detail, one feeling, one sign-off. It reads better on a phone screen.

Ending messages to steal

  • “Saw the castle, waved at Jumbo and met the elephants at the zoo. Brilliant day out!”
  • “Walked the Roman walls and through Balkerne Gate. Colchester is older than I ever realised.”
  • “Settled in at uni. Lakes, ducks and new friends. Miss you loads.”

Colchester at a glance

Where
Essex, England
Famous for
its claim to be Britain's oldest recorded town · Colchester oysters

Landmarks to name-drop

  • Colchester Castle
  • Jumbo, the Victorian water tower
  • Balkerne Gate
  • St Botolph's Priory
  • Colchester Zoo

The game shows the place name and your message, not these landmarks: the Postcard look’s far-off silhouettes are generic. Your words do the sightseeing.

How to send it, step by step

  1. Pick the Postcard occasion. Open become.games and choose Postcard. You can try it free with our demo characters straight away, no sign-up needed. To send it, you put your own people in it (drawn from a photo, which needs a plan); publishing and the link are free.
  2. Choose a game style and a look. Any style and any look work. The Postcard look (pastel houses, bunting, chip-thieving seagulls and runaway suitcases) is the natural pick, and for Colchester we’d also try platformer with the Graduation look.
  3. Type “Colchester” as where it’s from. The “Where’s it from?” field takes up to 24 characters. Your game is titled “Greetings from Colchester”; rename it if you like, e.g. “Essex Graduate”.
  4. Make the jokes yours. The pre-written lines are postcard and holiday flavoured. Swap one for something only Colchester would explain, like a line about Balkerne Gate.
  5. Write the message on the back and send it. The ending is a postcard flying in with the place in big retro letters, your message on the back, a stamp and your signature. Publish it (free, with its own permanent link) and share it on WhatsApp, as a QR code or by copying the link. It plays in the browser on any device.

Free to build and play with our demo characters. To send it, star your own people (drawn from a photo with a plan); publishing and the link are free. See pricing or read how it works.

Colchester postcard: questions

Will the game show Colchester Castle?

No. The game is titled “Greetings from Colchester” and ends with a postcard showing the place name in big retro letters and your message, but it doesn’t draw Colchester Castle. The Postcard look has far-off landmark silhouettes, but they’re generic, not Colchester’s. That’s what your jokes and message are for: mention Colchester Castle in a line and they’ll picture it.

What should I write on a postcard from Colchester?

Keep it short and specific: one place, one moment, one sign-off. For example: “Saw the castle, waved at Jumbo and met the elephants at the zoo. Brilliant day out!”

Can I put myself in a Colchester postcard?

Yes. Build and try it free with demo characters, then upload a photo to turn yourself (and whoever you’re with) into cartoon characters, which needs a plan. Everyone in the photo must agree, and the photo is deleted once the characters are made.

How much does a digital postcard game cost?

Making, playing and publishing it is free, and every published game gets its own permanent link. To turn your own photos into cartoon characters, or to give the game a custom link like yourname.become.games, you need a plan: £3.49 a month or £19.99 a year. Cancel any time.

More postcards from near Colchester

All UK postcard places · Digital postcard ideas · A holiday postcard you can play

Send your Colchester postcard

Pick the Postcard occasion, type where it’s from, write the message on the back and share the link. It plays on any device, no download.

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